Primitive tool -anchor - weight? any ideas?

[surfaceone]

Hey Bram,

Great find, sir! Have you taken it by your local museum or Historical Society?

The shape of the stone is making me think of a reworked Mano, or pounder.

 

[blobbottlebob]

That thing really is pretty cool Bram. Thanks for following up and letting us know what it is. I have never yet found one in over 900 logged tanks in Wisconsin. However, it could be specific to your region. If they are not regional, they must be pretty darn rare 'cause this is the first I've ever seen (or heard of) one. But then again, I try really hard to avoid picking up sticks and rocks. I've got a garage full of junk as it is.[]

I think the advice about protecting the wood was pretty sound. Maybe a coating of lemon oil would help keep it from drying out.

 

[Plumbata]

Incredible find ya got there, I would be extraordinarily pleased with such a fascinating and unique discovery. That thing is so super extremely cool. I dunno what would be best for preserving it, melted parrafin wax? Melted beeswax? a soak in Water Glass (Sodium Silicate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_silicate ) I doubt that you would sell it (I wouldn't), but if it goes on eBay please post a link.

 

[dollarbill]

I have to agree it looks like an boat anchor but I think maybe now its a Poke .Whats a Poke you ask? It was a primitive type anchor placed around barn yard animals necks who were escape artists ,goats and sheep mainly .Its ment to stop them from going thought or over fences .
Just another guess .
bill

 

[sandchip]

What a great find. Need to preserve it though, or it'll come all to pieces in time. Mix you some raw linseed oil and turpentine, 50/50, and brush it on once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year forever. That'll help replace the water that's gonna dry out, which is what would make it crumble.

 

[epackage]

ORIGINAL: dollarbill

I have to agree it looks like an boat anchor but I think maybe now its a Poke .Whats a Poke you ask? It was a primitive type anchor placed around barn yard animals necks who were escape artists ,goats and sheep mainly .Its ment to stop them from going thought or over fences .
Just another guess .
bill

Interesting thought Bill, but after seeing the pic's I found and Bram found online I really can't see it being anything else though. You do learn something new on this site everyday....Jim[]

 

[downeastdigger]

thanks again for the inputs. I took it out today to show someone, and you guys were right about it drying up. It's still solid, but it is now very very dry and brittle. I'm going to use teak oil on it which looks like it will be the perfect thing to use.

No luck on my dives this week. Try again tomorrow after work. good luck all

 

[dollarbill]

Hey Jim ,Bram I got the ideal of it being a poke from a primitive tool book by Eric Sloan .I to looked to the net. but did not find the same types of pictures as were in the book .They the pictures in the book look like several of the posted pictures here on this post .

bill

 

[jnoon]

If you haven't used the teak oil yet, you may want to try polyethylene glycol. It is the preferred preservative of wooden underwater artifacts. There are lots of sources online for its application. Very cool find, by the way!

 

[d12016466]

This is the method I like for wooden artifacts. After soaking wood in fresh water, it must be dehydrated before conservation. Dehydration is accomplished by immersing the wood in three baths of denatured ethyl alcohol,each bath about a week. First bath 40% alcohol,60% water, second 60% alcohol, third 100%alcohol. Then the artifact is placed in two baths of xylene 100%, (closed container)flammable so be careful. First bath one week, Second bath of xylene, add paraffin chips, until a saturated solution is obtained(about 2 lbs). You will recognize saturation when paraffin becomes crystallized around the artifact. Leave artifact in this solution for about 4 weeks. Remove wood artifact from solution, let air dry for another week, brush off remaining paraffin. And thats about it. I also save the different solutions for future artifacts because the chemicals can become quite expensive (this method is worth the effort). Dave